Hi Ron...
Welcome. This site has been a blessing for me. Any questions I have had someone has answered or I have found the answer by searching the site. It has actually kept my sanity the last week or so. I too found a lump in my neck, ignored it for about 1 yr before I thought i should actually have it looked at.At 37 yrs old and a newlywed what could seriously be the problem!! (UGH!!) When I finally did go to the doctor the CAT SCAN showed actually 3 enlarged lymph nodes. I had 2 inconclusive biopsies done on the largest and a wonderful surgeon that insisted I take it out even though it showed no dangerous cells. 2 months after the biopsies (7/9/07) I had it removed from my neck. 10 days later the doc dropped a bomb on our world telling us it was cancerous and it definetely was not the primary. An MRI and a PET scan later cancer did not show anywhere in my body. My aggressive surgeon knew better and eventually found the primary source at the base of my tongue. However it was not the more common SCC it was mucoepidermoid carcinoma which happens to have very rare occurences in the tongue. 5 months after the 1st surgery I had my second which entailed a 3 week stay in the hospital entailing a neck dissection with 11 nodes removed, jaw split, and a sizable amount of cancer removed from the base of my tongue. Before we agreed to the second surgery my doc encouraged me to seek a second opinion which I did (plus a third). They all had the same answer that surgery plus radiation would be the best protocol to beat this. So that what we did on 12/11/07. Spent Christmas and New Years in the hospital. Now withihn the next 2 weeks I'm to start radiation which scares the hell out of me, but I know I AM STRONGER than this disease and I will beat it and move on with the life with my husband of 1 year. (thank god for him)! If I could share 1 piece of advice in my short experience with this disease it would be to lean on those you love for support and understanding. Take advantage of all the offers for help/assistance from family/friends or whoever. No one should have to battle this alone if they do not have to. Let the support in whether its from this forum, from friends/family or from the medical team you will have. It will help you through this. And ask away your questions or state your fears someone has been there before you and will help you through this. Stay strong and keep in touch..
Christne D